Shattered
by xxIndigo
Summary: Something had changed in him. The little spark that had always lingered in his eyes was gone, as was all of the luster and glory that made him the prodigy he'd always been. He'd shattered inside and all she could do was fight to pick up the broken pieces.
1. Gone

A/N: This fanfiction was inspired by the song "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday. Please enjoy, rate, and review! Thanks!

**SHATTERED** xxx **Chapter One **

.: _Gone_ :.

* * *

The guard felt a peculiar rush of excitement as he trumped down the dark passage way with his co-workers. He had worked in the west wing of the Konoha Prison for a few years by then with nothing to do but sit around shuffling cards with his fellows while wanna-be criminals snored away in their cells. It was a boring life, one that wasn't anywhere near worth the amount of time and effort he'd put into becoming a chuunin in order to get it. The only redeeming quality that it possessed was its ability to pay the bills, and which was good enough for him.

That was, until the rumors had started flying. Rumors had been spreading through the whole prison like wildfire, from overseer to overseer, from guard to guard, from prisoner to prisoner. A new, S-class criminal had recently been detained in the underground floor of the prison. At first he hadn't been very interested, but as the rumors continued to flurry past, the guard becamed quite intrigued.

Apparently the individual had broken six separate records for how long he'd been able to stay conscious under several different torture techniques; and that was within the first few days of his arrival. Also the criminal had been able to produce several actual jutsu on his own _through_ the numerous chakra depletion methods that had been used on him and the restraints that surrounded him. He'd actually found the strength to overcome some of Konoha Prison's most powerful detainment jutus, and that in itself was somewhat frightening. It was quite an accomplishment to be able to do succeed in defeating the defenses in a given cell, and the guard distantly hoped he would never have to come face to face with such a powerful criminal.

So, in order to see just what new tricks this prisoner would spring up and fire at Morino Ibiki, all of the guards who worked in the lower levels of the prison had made it a habit of showing up whenever he was scedualed for torture. Always he'd heard about what went on down there. How amazing the guy was, how much determination and willpower the guy must have to be able to fight against such strong methods of torture for so long.... And apparently the jutsus he was able to produce were pretty cool as well. Now it was his turn to see it all.

After years of working on the upper-west wing, he'd finally been promoted. He'd been moved to the underground level, and now he could finally put a picture to all of the rumors.

* * *

The cell itself was giant. It's walls were completely clear, made of a titanium-strength, chakra-enhanced glass that was literally unbreakable. It was dug out into the ground so that when standing next to the glass, you could easily look down on the prisoner inside to see what he/she was doing. It was all cement inside, a bleak monotone except for the occasional splatter of a deep, crimson red. The glass looking over it was lined with solders, all peering down into the pit, watching

Then the screaming started.

If death had a sound, this would be it. It was a strangled and pleading sound, one that tore at the heart and wrenched at one's pity. It was the sound of someone who'd given up, the scream of someone who wanted to die.

Morino Ibiki stood in the pit with his captive, his expression cold and relentless. At his feet was not a man at all, but a child; no older than seventeen. He didn't look at all like something who could defeat so many prison records. The few clothes he had, though he wore no shirt, were ripped and shredded. His chest and face were covered in thick bruises, scrapes, scratches, and scars. His thick, unruly looking black hair was dyed red with dripping blood, and his eyes were screwed shut, his teeth gritted together as he attempted to silence his pain. His hands were bound tightly behind his back in a deep mesh of chakra cords, as were his feet. He writhed on the floor in vain attempts to qualm it, but relentless were Ibiki's techniques. He didn't stop until his victim was either unconscious or dead.

A great pool of blood had started to condense by then around the youth's shuddering body, slowly spreading across the gray floor and mingling with the dust that lay there.

Morino shot him a malicious scowl before he strode forward towards the black haired kid, grabbed him around the neck and hauled him to his feet. He held the captive right in front of his face for a moment, glaring into the youth's face before he roughly slammed his feeble body against the nearest wall. The youth choked up more crimson liquid, eyes remaining closed as he slumped to the floor and fell limply on his side. He didn't even make an attempt to move as his captor closed in.

Then Morino's lips moved as he said something, but the sound didn't travel through the thick glass.

The kid's obsidian hues suddenly flared open, and somehow he found the strength and shot forward, lurching unevenly towards Ibiki. A bright-blue, lightning chakra lanced up the prisoner's arm as he stumbled forwards, rage emblazoned across his face. The interrogator captain stared as his captive approached, and easily sidestepped the feeble attack, a laughing expression now on his dark face. Blood was everywhere now, dripping and pool like no other.

Morino smirked broadly, said something quickly. The kid swayed in place for a moment, his hands clawing at his chest as an unworldly pain developed there. And just like that, the raven-haired prisoner dropped like a stone.

Unconscious.

The crowd around the guard looked anything but excited. They looked shaken, as he did, about the kid. Where was the competion in that? That was regular torture at its worst, and one a child no less...

He frowned, turning to a guard next to him. "What happened to the epic fights that everyone's always talkin' about?"

The guard cast him a hollow look. "Hasn't been any of that for the past week. Nothing but Ibiki-sama's crueler methods, and every day that kid's got less and less fight..."

Everyone listening nodded solemnly.

"So what exactly was that technique?"

"It's an newly-developed method of Ibiki's. The Godaime hasn't approved of its use in interrogation yet, for obvious reasons..."

"Obvious reasons being...?" The guard looked at him pointedly, clearly hesitant to explain.

"It's like turning on a blender in your insides. It tears everything up and will eventually kill you unless its released."

He looked back at the kid laying in the middle of the pool of blood as Ibiki yelled angrilly into a radio in his hand. It was a tragedy, to him, that such a young kid would have to be put under these circumstances. It just wasn't right.

* * *

His life had been a numb blur for the past few weeks. He was never quite aware of his surroundings, only of the constant pain and total exhaustion that continually engulfed him. He would wake up at sporatic times, only to open his eyes once and see nothing but those monotone gray walls, and then he would get whisked away once more into total darkness. Once a day, however, he'd wake up to the creaking sound of opening doors, and that cursed man with the scarred face would descend on him like the demon that he was.

The captor would just touch his skin, and the instant he made contact, the constant, more throbbing pain that he had endured for the majority of his confinement would seem like naught but a splinter. The cruel torture that ate away at his days was pushing him relentlessly towards the brink of his sanity, and though he would stand up and fight for it as hard as he could, it was like trying to fight the thundering currents of a river: it was impossible.

He hadn't a clue why he was tortured so often. He'd never been asked for any information concerning his detainment. From day one he'd just sat in the same old cell, awaiting the excruciating hours of torture that usually came at least once a day. Even if they were doing it for information, his ability to process words and sentences had almost vanished during his containment, so to interrogation might prove difficult.

He'd given up trying to understand the incomprehensible drabble that escaped Morino Ibiki's mouth after the first week. To put it simply, it just wasn't worth the effort.

He put his effort into fighting back as best he could. It was difficult, and he simply had no idea how he was able to overcome his chakra restraints as often as he did. He almost landed his chidori once, and he'd managed to singe Ibiki a few times with fire jutsus, but his pained, lurching movements proved to make maneuvering much harder than it should have been.

His captor had actually gotten smarter over the last week too. He'd decided on a new tactic of infiltrating the youth's mind by forcing him to witness his clan's death over and over in his head, and as he fought to keep out the foreign presence, his physical body was left open for the worst form of torture yet.

His ability to endure became worse and worse by the day. He feet like his fragile existence was close to breaking; like his whole being was going to shatter into thousands of annoying little pieces left only to be thrown away. He hated this miserable existance, and for the first time in his life he awaited his death with open, _happy_ arms. He would welcome his demise with as broad of a smirk as he could muster.

He heard the familiar creak of the door opening and foot steps alighting somewhere near him. He didn't move, he only lay flat on his stomach, his cheek rested upon the cold cement, his eyes closed. Not again, not so _soon_.

The pain was unbearable. His insides felt twisted and ripped, his bones broken and shattered. His mind too, seemed to have taken a hit, for memories and complex thoughts seemed to be eluding him more and more often.

Someone's hand, gentler than most of his visitors, cautiously prodded his arm. He didn't, couldn't, respond. The person prodded him again, and after recieving no answer for the second time, gently turned him onto his back. More pain, flooding through his system with renewed strength.

One of his ribs gave a frighteningly loud snap, and he hacked in sputtering breath as he tasted blood seeping into his mouth. He couldn't breath, he was drowning in it. He felt crimson rolling down the side of his face from between his lips, he felt his consciousness flare black as he felt the warm arms of death coming ever nearer.......

There was a loud voice saying something now, angrilly. It was female, but not one he recognized. Then that damned voice, the voice of the torturer retorting agsinst her... Then the female voice talking louder, overpowering him...

And then he was roughly pulled back to his body by those hands again as an odd, plastic contraption was shoved over his mouth. He felt several other pairs of hands pressing against his chest, accompanied by that warm healing chakra.... He wanted more of that comforting warmth, wanted it to take away the pain. But he knew, deep inside himself, that that was impossible. No one person could fix him, that he knew. The scars ran too deep.

He felt himself getting lifted, gently, then placed on something soft. A stretcher? And something was beeping next to his ear, and the plastic thing covering half of his face.... Oxygen? He felt someone telling him to relax, telling him it would all be alright and it would all be okay. He was fading fast, darkness closing in on his consciousness.

No, it wouldn't be alright.

* * *

"_Ibiki!_" The startlingly loud voice of the Godaime echoed through the lower level of the prison as the woman strode towards the man, and even the Morino couldn't keep the look of displeasure from sweeping across his features.

"Milady..?" he asked subordinately, bowing his head. His courtesy didn't save him from any of the Fifth's ferocity.

_"How DARE you disobey my direct orders!"_ she screamed at the Interrogation Captain, her thick pig-tails flying as she jabbed him in the chest with her pointer finger. She glared at him profusely when he didn't respond.

"I ordered you to keep him detained and to get as much information out of him as possible without hurting him! I specifically told you to avoid any harsher means of torture, and I get call that you almost killed him?! Do you realize what you could have done?" Her voice was a scream as she raged at him, her eyes ablaze with fury. "You kill him, you the Kyuubi container's trust in his village! Can you imagine losing the Kyuubi? Losing what the Fourth died to keep sealed up? It would tear this village--this country--apart! You incompetent fool! Have you nothing to say for yourself?!" He shrank away from her, eyes darting back and forth.

"I felt it necessary, Godaime-sama. He refused to cooperate--"

"Ibiki, I have trusted you since my initiation as Hokage. This incident might have cost you that trust." She glared at him profusely. "So if I were you, I'd do anything in my power to win it back. Understood?!"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." He bowed his head low.

The woman scowled at him before turning around to meet up with her assisant, Shizune, as the black-haired woman ascended the stairs out of the cell.

"What is his condition, Shizune?"

"Critical, Milady. We must get him to the hospital immediately. I've already called a dispatch team to come pick him up, and an entire team of medics are waiting for us there. Ibiki-san cut it a bit close, Milady." Tsunade nodded solemnly as they hurried down the hall towards the exit.

"Leave it to Ibiki to take out his hatred towards traitors on a seventeen-year-old kid...." Tsunade's expression was cold, indignant.

"Hai, Godaime-sama. I just hope he's alright. For their sake."

* * *

The petite pinkette sat at her desk, busily signing papers and stamping medical reports. Her brow was furrowed in thick concentration, her delicate fingers stained black with ink, her expression exhausted. She slouched in her chair, tapping her foot idly against the ground to keep herself awake.

The blond was stretched out on her small leather couch, boredly flipping away at one of her magazines. Her office in Konoha Hospital seemed to be one of his favorite hangout spots of late, for Tsunade had given them very few missions for the past few weeks. The rest of the rookie nine, however, had plenty. The two shinobi didn't complain however, because both of them had enough work to do as it was, and though going on missions was the exciting part about being a shinobi, having some down time was nice too.

Plus, Sakura had hospital duty every day, and Naruto found it his duty as one of her closest friends to keep her company during those boring hours.

The sound of many shouts and loud footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the office door, and both members of Team Kakashi turned to look out the small window in the door looking out over the first floor hallway.

The top of Tsunade's head came into view, her bright eyes glimmering with rage as she spouted something off to Shizune, who hurried to keep up with her. A full team of Emergency Medic Shinobi's rushed after them, evidently carrying a stretcher whose occupant was hidden from view.

The whole part tramped past in a flurry of commotion before leaving down the hall and and off into a nearby elevator. A few lagging nurses and doctors hurried after them, clipboards in hand.

Sakura and Naruto exchanged glances.

"I hope that wasn't anyone we know," said the blond quietly. The Haruno glanced at him and nodded, eyes still glued to the window.

"Team Ten was supposed to get back today, maybe one of them got hurt..." She grit her teeth, hoping desperately that it wasn't.

"I'll go check, Sakura-chan. I've got nothing better to do." He said to her, eager to do her a favor. The Haruno shook her head.

"That's alright, Naruto, I'll go check it out later--"

"I'll be back in a bit!" he grinned broadly at her before flitting out the door. Sakura watched him go dryly, unsure of what to think. Should she be flattered that he took so much pleasure in helping her out, or should she be annoyed that he completely ignored her? She shook her head and decided to concentrate on her work to keep her mind away from other things. Yet, no matter how furiously she signed papers, she couldn't keep her mind from wondering about the endless possibilities of who the emergency patient was. So, defeated, she fished out a bag of licorice from her drawers and plopped herself on the couch. Then she settled right into the cushions, chewed lazily on the end of a licorice and flipped through one of her magazines.

* * *

Naruto raced down the hall and up the stairs to the Emergency Ward, his thick blond hair whisking past his face as he neared the large double-doors leading off to the side. Over the door was the "Critical Condition" sign that lit up red whenever the patient inside was in critical condiction. The light was on.

And then he heard a strangled shout, followed by a series of angered orders from the medics inside. Tsunade's powerful roar suddenly boomed over the rest of them, followed by the sound of something heavy being moved.

The Uzumaki pressed his palm against the door, and hesitantly pushed it open.

The world seemed to suddenly be put on mute. All he could hear was that unsteady beep of the heart rate machine and his own breathing.

There must have been fifteen doctors and nurses in the room. Most of them were crowded around a single operating table in the middle, blocking all but the patient's feet from view. One was heavily bandaged, the other in a full-out cast, and every so often they would both jerk violently. Then he heard a pitiful little moan, and the heart monitor started to beep frantically.

"We have to start him on anesthesia, Tsunade-sama! Or at least morphine, his body can't take it--"

"His heart will stop if we do either just working!!" Tsunade's voice was almost at a scream now as she stormed between the nurses, shoving one of the doctor's aside as she took her place next to the patient's head.

Naruto remained frozen at the door, unable to see who it was. Then Tsunade was barking something, but this time not at any of the doctors.

"Stay awake, you hear me?! _Fight_ it; if you lose consciousness, you will _die_. Keep your eyes _open_, understand?" Her voice was loud, unwavering. But behind it was a distinct wave of fear. The monitor suddenly went crazy, and Tsunade's many curses doubled in volume as she yelled at the nurses around her to triple their efforts.

Naruto could feel the warm, medical chakra pulsating through the room from the table, but something, deep in his gut, told him that it was all fruitless. And to match his thoughts, the monitor, which previously had been beeping pitifully and irregularly, suddenly stopped let out a long, drawn-out tone. The graph that had for so long been trailing the beat on the screen was set into a thin line.

_Gone._

And then a doctor moved away from the table and he saw.

_Gone._

He saw the pale, hollow face hidden beneath the oxygen mask.

_Gone._

And the sweat-drenched, raven-colored locks that framed that familiar face.

_Gone._

And the frozen lips that he knew would never again draw breath.

_Sasuke._

_

* * *

  
_A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! No killing the author, please. *holds up shield* ;w;  
I had a lot of inspiration to write this out, and the rest of the plot has been formulating in my head all day. For those of you who read my other fanfiction, I am almost done with the next update, and I will try to get it up sometime this weekend. ^^

I am almost done writing Chapter 2 for this fanfiction as well, and I hope to have that posted in the next few days.

Thanks so much for reading! Please review! Thanks!

-- xxIndigo


	2. Defiance

**Shattered **xx** Chapter Two**  
.: _Defiance_ :.

* * *

"Can't be.... _Can't_ be. No, no.... _no_...." He stood at his old friend's feet now, watching as the medics around him scurried and ran, pumping him with who-knows-what in feeble attempts to get his heart restarted. They brought out charged paddles as well and yelled for everyone to clear, and thumped him with them a few times. Nothing.

And then he heard the sound that he didn't want to here. Footsteps; familiar, hurried footsteps rushing towards the door from outside and then pushing through. He didn't want to look, didn't want to meet the eyes of the girl who stood there.

He felt her stop just inside the door, and heard that tiny little gasp that escaped from her throat that was filled with such fear and confusion.

And then she was rushing forward and past him, medical gloves already on, her soft, rose-colored hair flying out behind her head as she pushed past the medics surrounding the table. Tears were already streaking down her face, but through them her glittering emeralds held a startling sort of defiance.

Her hands charged up with chakra as she stripped away the mask, touching one gloved hand to the youth's pale. She channeled her chakra into him, eyes closed, desperately searching his body was any way to pull him out of death's clutches.

"Sakura, it's no use." Tsunade looked long and hard at her apprentice, expression void of emotion. The medics surrounding the table slowly began to rise when she turned walked from the operation table towards the small sink area, where she removed her gloves and washed her hands idly, face hidden from view.

"Tsunade-sama.... We can't give up on him." A tear rolled down the kunoichi's cheek. The seconds were ticking away.

The other medics quietly moved around her, bowing to the Hokage and leaving without a word when she nodded to them.

"How can you do this?! Why?! We could save him, we could get his heart going again, we could—" She choked on the words as she made an attempt to swallow her oncoming tears. She took his cold hand in hers, ignoring the blood that covered its surface, and traced his palm quietly with her finger. Tears splashed down her cheeks and dripped pitifully onto his skin, and she quickly wiped them away.

She continued to just hold his hand quietly as Naruto slowly approached her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She was trembling.

Tsunade looked sharply at them.

"Sakura, it's been almost five minutes. You can't come back from that, especially in his condition. I'm sorry, there isn't anything we can do." She glanced solemnly at the youth laid out across the operation table and sighed before turning and exiting.

And then the original Team 7 was left alone in the Emergency Ward, to watch as one of their own slowly drifted away.

Sakura leaned heavily into the blond, holding back fresh walls of her tears. He'd betrayed her. He'd torn her apart. He'd insulted her over and over again. Yet seeing him dying, right in front of her, with no way of bringing him back.

She couldn't take it.

She buried her face into Naruto's jacket, and for once the secure feeling of his brotherly embrace didn't help to calm her. She traced her fingers over and over again down the Uchiha's hand, unable to let it go. Unable to say goodbye. A single tear leaked out and plipped onto the orange fabric surrounding her. She buried deeper into the folds.

She then closed her eyes, imagined him squeezing her hand and opening his eyes. Seeing her and Naruto, and having that famous smirk of his spread across his lips. She shoved it away, unwilling to think about, willing herself to think of other things.

Anything but him.

"Sakura." Naruto's voice echoed through her ears, but she ignored him. For once, she didn't feel like listening to his petty optimism. She wanted to smash her fist into someone, to take all of her rage and her hurt out in a bloody brawl so that exhaustion and pain would override her longing agony. And then she felt the Uzumaki pull away from her gently, his deep cerulean eyes gleaming at her passionately when she looked into them. "Sakura, look."

She turned slowly, unwillingly, towards where he motioned. The heart monitor.

The thin yellow line on the monitor had risen just a hairsbreath before dropping. After a moment, it rose again, then back down. And with each one it gave a staggering little beep. Sakura looked down at the pale hand that she clung to.

She hadn't been imagining it. His fingers had latched themselves around her finger, and though the pressure was weak and feeble, it was there.

And then she was crying and smiling all at the same time, and Naruto was next to her, watching both her as she moved to further heal his wounds and the monitor as his heart rate continued to climb.

She felt him hurry to the door of the room and yell for another medic and for Tsunade before returning to her side. She felt the Uchiha's heart fluttering pitifully against his chest as she pushed her own chakra through her system. She had to protect him this time, it was her job to make sure he would be alright.

His body was a mess; all of his organs and insides ripped and out of place. She stood beside him regardless, using every ounce of her being to patch up as much as she could. Even as the medic team poured in around her to give her their aid, she didn't let up. Only when she nearly fell over from chakra exhaustion did she feel her teammate swiftly pull her away from the table and pick her upeasily, bridal style. She didn't even have enough energy to struggle as he set her down carefully on the empty bed sitting alone against the far wall. The commotion around the Uchiha's table had swelled, and they both knew that, no matter what happened next, he would be okay.

Because they were together again, and their friend was safe. And that was all that mattered.

* * *

Sakura didn't know exactly at what time she passed out, only that it was on that small hospital bed with Naruto sitting protectively next to her. She remembered leaning against his strong shoulder at one point, asking him what was happening sleepily. _'He's fine Sakura, get some sleep,' _had been his soft reply. She remembered Hinata coming in at one point as well, asking Naruto something about him standing her up for their date. He had apologized profusely, and she'd nearly slapped him, telling him that the the well-being of his friends was much more important than a silly date. They held a small, doting conversationafterwards, mostly a blur to the half-conscious Haruno, before the Hyuuga handed him something, smiled, then left.

She remembered Tsunade coming over as well and asking how _she_ was doing. Naruto had said something about too much chakra exertion, and then she was out again.

From there it was only a blur of those flurescent lights, the orange and black of the Kyuubi-containers jacket, and the constant bubble of conversation from the operation table. Some time during that she'd really gone under into a deep sleep, filled with memory after memory of the days that would forever remain in the past.

* * *

She woke up to find herself in a very different place. It was a regular hospital room, with curtains wide and open, letting the crisp morning sun spill out across the furniture and floor. Sakura ran a hand through her hair sleepily, a small yawn passing her lips as she blinked her eyes a few times, her mind slowly adjusting. She was curled up quite comfortably in a thick cucoon of blankets, her head rested on a large pillow.

And then it hit her.

She bolted upright almost comically, coming inches from smacking her nose against the large shape that sat on the edge of the bed. Naruto

He looked at her calmly, a small, sheepish grin forming across his face. "Mornin', Sakura-chan."

"Where—?!" He pointed quietly before she had time to finish, and she turned.

There he was.

He lay flat and still on the other hospital bed next to the window, eyes closed in an apparently peaceful sleep. He had an oxygen mask covering the majority of his beautiful face from view, which would cloud up every few seconds when he breathed. Some medics had cleaned the blood and grit away from his skin, leaving it in its usual pale perfection. His tousled, raven-like spikes looked clean and just as she remembered it, framing his perfect alabaster face as it as it always medics had also given him a lose white yukata as a shirt that almost completely exposed the thick white bandages that wound about his torso.

The thin blankets of his bed were tucked up around him, his unmoving arms left outside. One lay straight along his side, covered completely in bandages. The other was folded over his stomach and hidden inside a thick, white splint.

She exhaled slowly, drawing the blankets around her closer to herself. She looked to Naruto, who returned her gaze with a tired grin.

"How long have I been out?"

"'Bout nine hours, give or take an hour." She gaped up at him.

"Have you been watching this whole time?" she gazed up at him for a moment, noticing the deep bags beneath his electric-blue hues. He nodded slowly before turning to look at Sasuke again. Sakura leaned against his shoulder, her cheek resting softly against his bicep.

"Thanks, Naruto..." He shifted next to her, his head twisting to get a good look at her.

"You don't need to thank me, Sakura. That's what teammates are for." He grinned again at her. Sakura nodded slowly, her own grin blossoming across her cheeks.

"You should get some rest. And Hinata's probably worried sick; you should call her." He nodded distantly at her words, eyes still fixed on the black-haired Uchiha.

"You okay?" she asked him quietly.

"Yeah.... Just still can't believe that he's back." She nodded, her eyes mirroring his as the too stared at the Uchiha.

"When the teme wakes up, I'm going to give him _shit_ for scaring us like that. He's going to wish he _had_ died," laughed the blond, his signature, cheesy smile spreading across the contours of his expression. Sakura forced a small smile.

Naruto slowly pulled his shoulder out from underneath her cheek and slid easily to his feet. He then stretched his arms tiredly and let loose a rather loud yawn.

"Sakura-chan, the Old Hag said he probably wouldn't wake up anytime soon. You should take the chance and go home and get some rest yourself. You look terrible."

She punched him in the shoulder dryly as she stood up next to him.

"Fine. But I'm coming right back afterwards." Naruto nodded slowly, and they both turned and carefully walked out the door, shutting the door quietly behind them.

Sakura turned her head to give one last look at the closed door, her expression somewhat concerned. Would that be the last time she would see Uchiha Sasuke? Could he pass away, while she was gone? Could his tight grasp on the mortal world weaken and break?

Sakura hurried after Naruto, her expression now quite defiant.

No, she would never let that happen.

* * *

A/N: I would really appreciate if you guys would review! It means a lot to me, and it'll definitely spur speedier updates! Thanks!  
And please try to keep them positive, or at least _nice_. I really don't want people just constantly criticizing uselessly without saying anything constructive. Thanks.

So I'll try to get Chapter 3 up as soon as I can, so expect an update sometime this week. :]  
Thanks for reading! Please review! :]

-- xxIndigo


	3. Guilt

**Shattered **xx** Chapter 3**  
.: _Guilt _:.

* * *

Sakura stepped through the threshold into her home, closing her door nimbly behind her. Her apartment was exactly how she had left it; cluttered. Though she gave Naruto a hard time for his pig-sty of a home, her own wasn't much better. Her belongings lay scattered across the floors and shelves, her books and papers laying ignored and forgetten underneath tables and couches. The carpets were in need of a good vacuum, and the finished wood floors needed sweeping.

She entered quietly and maneuvered her way through obstacles in the front hall, almost tripping over her dirty-clothes hamper, before finally reaching the door leading into her own bedroom. This room, surprisingly enough, was actually rather organized compared to the rest of the house, due to the fact that she seldom slept in it. Because of the long night shifts that she spent at the hospital, she found sleeping on the old, comfortable couch in her office to be much more convenient.

The pinkette skirted over towards her closet and snatched up one of her handbags from its shelves, then proceeded to pack as many articles of clothing into it as she could. She packed extra shirts, bras, shorts and jeans, panties, and her favorite pair of sweats. She then moved back out into the hall and into the kitchen and threw open her cupboard. Her glittering emerald hues latched onto a prestien package of Oreos, and she snatched them up greedily and stowed them away in her bag. She also grabbed some instant ramen cups before switching over to the fridge and pulling out a large bowl of sticky rice she'd prepared the day before.

Quickly she emptied it on top of a cutting board on her counter, and swiftly molded it into several rice balls. She added them each with a strip of dried sea weed before quickly wrapping them up and placing them in her bag with everything else.

Then she set set the bag down by the door and raced off again, this time towards the shower. Upon entering her cluttered bathroom, she stripped quickly and hopped right in, greatly enjoying the feeling of the warm water splashing across her skin. She swiftly washed her thin, rose-colored locks first with shampoo then a good amount of conditioner before rinsing and exiting the shower. She dried off quickly then wrapped her lime-green towel around herself before grabbing her dirty clothes and hurrying back out into the hall. She threw the clothes into one of the hampers sitting there before going back into her bedroom and dressing in another set of her regular kunoichi apparel; her tall boots, spandex, a thin-white, open skirt, a loose tank-top with the Haruno symbol emblazoned across the back, her elbow pads, and her sturdy black gloves.

She had switched out her dark-green spandex for a pair of navy-blue ones, and her shirt was a very pale sky-blue. She preferred her usual garmets, but all of her pairs were currently waiting to be washed, and she didn't have the time to wait around. So the kunoichi looped her Konoha headband behind her ears, tied it quickly, then hurried towards the door again. She latched her arm underneath the strap of her bag agilely before exiting and locking the door behind her.

* * *

Sakura strode down the main street of Konoha, her eyes on the Hokage Building that towered over the rest of the village. Her expression was set, determined. Her full lips were locked together and her emerald hues were gleaming with a strong, self-confidence; something that had changed dramatically since her genin days. Her every step had this youthful beat to it, unlike the depressed sort of shuffle that she'd harbored after _he'd_ left.

She shoved the thought from her mind, quickening her speed as she approached the large building.

The ANBU standing outside, though she'd seen both of them hundreds of times, requested to see her ID and she grudgingly gave it to them. They dubiously scrutinized her photo for a moment, glancing to her and back to it several times before finally deeming it acceptable. They waved her inside warily and she swiftly passed between them, stuffing her ID card back into the weapons pouch.

And then she set off down the familiar hallways, up several flights of stairs, and down some more hallways. She passed several shinobi that she knew, but didn't make any move to stop and chat them up. She flew down the hallways, her pink-pastelle hair floating out behind her head. She had so many questions and accusations bubbling through her mind, and her eagerness to confront her teacher and superior.

Finally she reached the large double doors on the top floor and yet another pair of ANBU that signified the entrance to the Hokage's office. Both of the ANBU standing there requested to see card just as the others had, and she cast them both furtive glares and they backed off hastily, hurriedly beckoning her to continue.

Sakura smiled smugly as she pushed her way through, but her expression quickly dropped to a cautious state of fear when she saw who stood inside.

Tsunade sat as she normally did at her desk, her expression strained and anxious. In one hand she held a poised pen and in the other what looked like an almost-empty bottle of sake. Leaning against her desk was her other sensei, the gray-haired Kakashi who looked just a little less bored than he normally would have. And last was the blond Uzumaki who stood in front of the Godaime's desk with his fists clenched tightly at his sides, his back to Sakura.

The Fifth's gaze flickered towards her's before averted towards Naruto's again. The blond turned slowly, his deep viridian hues catching with hers and she forced a sheepish smile at having interrupted their apparent conversation.

"Sorry for interrupting, Tsunade-sama—"

"No apologies Sakura, I was about to send a messenger to get you, actually. Naruto is obnoxiously impatient..." She gave him a hard stare and he stuck his tongue out like a little kid, giving Sakura the excuse to punch him in the shoulder as she approached him. He rubbed his shoulder feebly, sticking out his lower lip in faux pain. She pretended like she hadn't seen.

The blond woman turned to Kakashi suddenly, her twin pig-tails swinging as she moved. "Kakashi, I've already debriefed you, you're free to go." He nodded, then gave a short, two-fingered wave at his students before teleporting with a small puff of smoke.

"Now, you two...." She trailed off, idly signing a paper beneath her writing hand before glancing back up at them. They both shifted awkwardly, waiting under her watchful gaze. The woman sighed dryly, folding her hands beneath her chin and resting her elbows upon her desk, surveying them with renewed sharpness.

"Sakura, I assume you came here to get briefed on the Uchiha's case, as Naruto did?" When the kunoichi gave a quick and polite nod, she began signing off papers again, her expression knit together in frustrated concentration.

"Neither of you are going to like it." Her voice was stiff, unsettling. She gave off the strong impression that she didn't like it either.

"But both of you should know regardless." She took a long pause, fingering the edge of her desk, delaying the inevitable.

"Uchiha Sasuke was taken into custody several weeks ago by a team of specially-equipped ANBU agents." Her town was strict, matter-of-fact. Her hazel-colored eyes narrowed slightly, calculating.

"He, after having fought several other shinobi, was wounded, though not too severely, so my team took the chance and secured him. He's been kept in a holding cell in Konoha's Prison. I planned to give him a chance to spill some information on Orochimaru and the Akatsuki in exchange for a lighter punishment for his betrayal, but unfortunately that never quite happened." She coughed hoarsely, spinning her chair around so that she was gazing out into the blue skies surrounding her wide-open windows.

"I was planning to keep him locked up for a few days at most, but the time to interrogate him escaped me, so I assigned Morino Ibiki to do it, seeing as its his specialty...." She cleared her throat and paused yet again before continuing dryly. "

It got a bit out of hand, and apparently he misinterpreted my instructions and used some of his more crueler methods on him...." Tsunade dropped off and took a swig of her drink and suppressed a small hiccup.

"He was _tortured_?!" Sakura's voice was dangerously high as she stepped forward, an indignant shock plastered on her pale face. The hokage matched her gaze, her own expression void of emotion.

"Tsunade-sama, how could you let this happen?! I saw those wounds, they were not from any of the legal methods that you signed off—" Sakura's temper was rising fast, her face now turned a faint scarlet with rage.

"No, Sakura, that's the point. Morino Ibiki made a grave mistake, taking his hatred towards traitors out on him, but that's besides the point—"

"Besides the point?! Besides the point?! How can you even say that?! We've been fighting for four years to get him back, and when he's finally here, you nearly torture him to death? Who the hell would want to stay in a village that would treat hem like that? It's unbelievable, I can't even fathom—" She felt a hand gently touch her shoulder, and she slapped it away, turning to glare at the blond Uzumaki who had dared touch her, real concern on his face. She ignored him savagely, turning suddenly to the Godaime.

"Tsunade-sama, I apologize for my behavior. Please excuse me." And the Haruno turned on her heels and strode out of the office.

Her trust in her village felt like it had been broken somehow. That something so twisted and evil could happen within the walls of the village that she'd always been so proud to be a part of... It was sick, she couldn't even process it.

The Haruno trudged softly through the streets, her expression downcast as she moved. It was getting dark early, as it always did around that time of the year. A brief shiver ran down the pinkette's spine, and she slowly withdrew one of her large, fur-rimmed jackets from her bag and dawned it, eager to bring warmth to her depressed limbs. She noticed slowly that she could see her breath forming in small clouds in front of her face, and she hunched her shoulders grudgingly, her dislike towards the cold evident.

Then she noticed soft, white flakes, drifting towards her from the darkened sky and she stared in disbelieve as it fell. It was snowing.

And then she felt tears start to brim up around her eyes, and she bit her lip, trying to stuff it away. She wandered quietly over to a lone bench, who's wood was already covered in a thin layer of white, and wiped some away before sitting down.

She was sobbing before she could stop herself. She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she brought her knees up to her chest, seeking comfort. She hated herself for letting such emotions get the best of her, she hated the way in which they controlled her body, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. So many turmoiling emotions were consuming her at that moment, she just couldn't contain them.

So she had to let them out.

The Haruno wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her gaze stony as she glared profusely at the ground. She abruptly brought her hands together in a flurry of handseals and disappeared on the spot, reappearing in the middle of her office at the hospital, her expression now opening into waves of distress. She threw her bag in the corner and forced herself to forward. She blazed through the door and continued down the hall and up the stairs.

Everything that she thought she knew for certain was changing wildly out of her control, and she couldn't stop it. She felt it was consuming her, eating her away until nothing was left. She bit her lower lip, blinking away the tears that had yet to fall from her eyes.

She would go to the Uchiha's room, because somehow she felt as if just being near him would ease the unbearable guilt. That somehow being near him would calm the turbulent mess that her whole life had suddenly turned into.

* * *

A/N: I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! :] Hope you have a more lovely day than I will, for I'm being forced against my will to go visit my grandmother. Oh _bloody_ joy. *shot*  
So I hoped I cleared up at least some of the questions that people were beginning to have, but if not, I apologize. All will be answered in due time. ;D

So I just got back from seeing Twilight for the second time. I saw the midnight showing last week, but a couple of my friends hadn't seen it yet, so I tagged along with them when they decided to go. The fight scenes got really boring, but everything else was just as perfect as it was the first time. :) I highly recommend seeing it!

Please review and thanks so much for reading!

-- xxIndigo


	4. Pillars

**SHATTERED** xxx **Chapter Four**  
.: Pillars :.

* * *

Cautiously the pinkette reached a hesitant hand out towards the gleaming metal handle of the door standing before her, her delicate fingers poised above its wintry surface. She anxiously bit her lower lip before shifting her weight uneasily onto her right foot, a deep surge of apprehension flooding her system as the idea of taking the big plunge and entering floated through her mind. In her office she'd felt that the thick mess of obstacles that were so densely stacked in front of her could be easily detoured if she could only see _his_ face. Now it felt different; she felt as if opening that closed door would let even more problems escape like demons into her already-disheveled life, leaving her utterly defenseless.

She delayed for one, last second before finally wrapping her thin fingers fluidly around the frigid bar to pull it evenly towards her.

She plunged into the unknown with an awkward step, her glittering jade orbs widening as they took in the flawless, porcelain features of the youth's face, the quiet rise and fall of his chest, the perfection of his chiseled, statue-like form.... She breathed a shuddering sigh of relief after quickly examining him from afar, the complete calm serenity of his current state giving her an immense amount of comfort, despite her earlier qualms.

The Haruno rapidly approached his bedside, making her way over the turquoise tiles in swift and easy strides. She reached his the cot after a short time, and she simply stood and watched him lay there; surveying him with a saddened half-smile.

Sakura fluidly slid into her medic routine by checking and readjusting his IVs and the monitors surrounding his bed, choosing to distract herself with unimportant chores.

She then moved to the closed curtains and threw them wide open, a silent smile splashing across her lips as she enjoyed the brilliant morning sun as it soaked through her chilled skin. She cracked open the window as well, welcoming the soft and fresh breeze that rippled through her clothing as it brought a chromatic assortment of scents and outside fragrances with it. She gazed distantly down into the small garden laid out below her, absently watching as a nurse helped an older patient hobble around one of the cobblestone walkways.

Sakura's ears picked up on a small and sudden sound emitted from behind her and she whirled, her vibrant hues darting back and forth as she furiously searched for the culprit. Her emeralds eventually coming to rest on her old teammate's face, and she felt instant panic flooding up through her veins like liquid ice.

The Uchiha youth's brow had suddenly knit together and the heart monitor next to the bed had started to beep frantically. The Haruno rushed to his side, hysteria fluttering in the pit of her abdomen just as he coughed weakly into the mask covering his face, causing his breathing to turn frighteningly erratic. Fear and adrenaline were pumping furiously into her system as she scurried to check his pulse and IVs, sweat beginning to form along her temple.

She stopped abruptly, a thought clicking in her head. Gently she pulled the oxygen mask off and away from his face, and almost immediately the machine beside her quieted, his breathing slowed into a normal rhythm, and his alabaster face fell back into its normal serene state.

The medic took a deep breath, closing her eyes as her momentary panic slowly subsided.

Her emotions were getting the best of her, and as much as she loathed herself for it, it was a fact that she could not bring herself to ignore. She was too biased, too deeply snared in the patient's background to be on medical duty for him. She heaved a defeated sigh as she turned back towards the window, drumming her digits along the frame listlessly.

Why the hell had she _panicked_ like that?!

Oxygen masks are supposed to be removed as soon as possible during recovery, anyone who knew anything about medicine knew that! The highly-concentrated and dry air coming out of the masks is eventually rejected by the human body its feeding after extended amounts of time, where it becomes the healthy for the body to breath natural air.

She exhaled deeply as she gazed dishearteningly down at the hospital grounds, her expression pained. She finally bit her lip lower lip out of annoyance before throwing the mask uselessly on a nearby table and running a hand through her loose hair as she turned towards the door. Her eyes zeroed in on a vase of wilted flowers on his bedside table as she passed it, and a dull idea sparked to life.

The kunoichi nodded softly to herself before striding out, her thick pink hair rippling out behind her like a thin curtain as she slipped fluidly out the door.

* * *

Ignoring the blatant "CLOSED" sign hanging over the large front door, the pinkette quietly let herself right into the small flower shop that sat so snugly on the market street. Several brass bells twinkled as the door closed behind her, and she listened to their soft chimes contentedly as she stood just within the threshold, glancing around for any sign of human life amongst all the different shades of green.

"We're _closed_, read the damn sign!"

The voice was annoyingly high-pitched and laced with a thick coating of obvious distaste. It was slightly muffled as well, as it seemed to have come from a room adjoined to the one in which the Haruno stood in, thus the walls were in the way. A pale face suddenly poked out from behind a small door crammed into the corner of the room, followed by a thick rope of bleach-blond hair. The woman's face brightened considerably from her harsh frown as her glittering, cyan orbs met with Sakura's, and the blond instantly alighted into a high string of giggles.

"Sorry Forehead, didn't realize it was you." She came out to greet her friend with a slight skip in her step, but her happy expression immediately vanished when she really _saw_ the rose-haired kunoichi standing before her.

"Hey, Ino." She was surprised by how hoarse and low her voice sounded, but she made no move to clear her throat after speaking.

"You okay?"

Sakura glanced up at her friend, surprised by the genuine sincerity that was scrawled clearly across the blond's features. The pinkette loosened a sigh and shrugged mildly before running a hand through her bubble-gum locks, her expression indifferent.

"Well, whatever it is, I definitely have something that will cheer you up. The new editions of_ Shinobi Illustrated_ arrived this morning and this month's cover model is_ gorgeous_..."

It felt so natural to allow herself to be swept away with trivials of Ino's friendship. It felt perfect to just let herself follow along with the blond's rapid conversations on guys and fashion and parties just to escape from the overwhelming dilemmas that she was struggling to get away from. The two of them merely retreated into Ino's bedroom just above the flowershop as they always used to as kids with a large jug of iced tea and a family-sized bag of chips. While Ino jabbered away, Sakura forced an array of smiles and giggles, and the time they spent was almost enjoyable. Almost.

Unfortunately, their arsenal of snacks were gone after a little less than an hour, so Sakura offered to go trek downstairs into Ino's kitchen to stock up on refills. Ino quickly agreed, unwillingly to be separated from her male swim-suit magazines. So Sakura slung the empty jug and bag over her shoulder before slipping out into the hallway to pad easily down the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom step, however, several distinct voices alerted the kunoichi to the presence of two other shinobi in the room.

"It's bad luck, saying that I mean." Ino's father's rough and sturdy voice was fairly easy to pick out, and he didn't sound too pleased.

"I'm not superstitious." The answering voice was nasally and obnoxious to listen to, but nevertheless Sakura felt compelled to listen.

"Hell, neither am I, but in a world full of risks, why not make a point of avoiding a few?" A grunt was the curt reply to Inoichi Yamanaka's rhetorical question.

"Regardless, if it does happen, you're breaking down that code and figuring out how it works. And on the off chance that is doesn't, perhaps you'll be able to get through the blockade of nurses at the hospital and get a blood test?"

"Like that will happen. I hear some of them can get pretty vicious." They both chuckled darkly, but Ino's dad suddenly cut in. "What if I_ do_ refuse?" His companion hesitated momentarily before launching into a well-rehearsed statement.

"You'd be disobeying a direct order from the Godaime herself, which would result in your immediately dismissal from the ANBU ranks. I'm sorry my friend, if it were up to me, I'd give the bloody job to someone who was more _deserving_.... That old dog Danzou, perhaps...?"

Low chuckles and the sound of heavy foot fall slowly leaving followed, and Sakura hesitantly crept out into the kitchen, expression blank. She made her slow approach to the fridge and pulled out a fresh bottle of their favorite drink before stuffing the garbage into a can, and then quick as could be, rushed back towards the stairs.

Ino hadn't moved. She lay sprawled across her bed, whipping through a magazine with an unnaturally-tan, shirtless surfer emblazoned across its cover. The blond's expression brightened upon seeing the pinkette, and she hurriedly shoved the magazine cover in Sakura's face, pointing wildly at the guy on it.

"This guy is totally your type, Sakura. Look at his _face_, so _perfect_ and _gorgeous_..."

"Ino, he's your type, not mine."

"Sak-ur-a! Open your eyes! There are plenty of fish in the sea, stop pretending like that arrogant, bastard-Uchiha is the only one for you, seriously--"

Sakura dropped the full bottle of iced-tea on the floor, where it hit the blond's presteen white carpet and exploded into thousands of tiny shards. She glared venomously at her friend, her thin fingers curled into tight fists, her emerald hues glittering defiantly. Without a word, the pinkette abruptly turned and strode from the room.

* * *

She was running.

Her heart hammered against her chest assweat trailed down her brow, and her lungs literally burned with the extreme exertion. She skidded to an uneven start and wavered for a moment before finding her balance.

In front of her stood the three identical wooden poles, the same ones that marked the start of her geninship, and the start of all of the friendships, and the joy, and all of the loss and pain she'd felt since that fateful day..

It was the place in which she and her three teammates endured Hatake Kakashi's bell challenge, only to discover that the point of the game wasn't really to steal the bells but to truly learn what it meant to work together as a fully-functional team. Now the bases of the three pillars were covered in a thick layer of powdery snow, and they looked almost eerie against all of the unblemished white.

The kunoichi gazed evenly at the three lone poles, her jade hues glimmering brightly. And then, with all of her strength, she pulled back her gloved fist and smashed it into the ground before her.

Like glass the ground cracked and exploded, forming a giant cloud of dust and rubble that was sent shooting into the air above her. She leaped a few feet back, staring at the three logs which had, against all odds, withstood the crumbling rocks and boulders around it and had managed to remain standing as a single, unbreakable unit.

If only it were that simple.

* * *

**A/N:** Merry Christmas everybody! And an early Happy New Year too!  
I sincerely apologize for the late update, I've been extremely busy lately what with finals and then the holidays. I've also had a lot of ideas for my other fanfiction lately, so I've been giving it a lot more attention than this one, and for neglecting you guys I am very sorry. D: I promise I will start updating faster soon enough!

Thanks for reading and please REVIEW! :D I'll give you a cookie! With lots of frosting, yum. :]

--xxIndigo


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